Disposable urine container



Oct. 1, 1968 BENZEL ET AL 3,403,410

DISPOSABLE URINE CONTAINER Filed Jun 1, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Howard ClBenzeZ 072415221122 1 SfTZeZC BY W+@4 ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 1, 1968 BENZEL ET AL 3,403,410

DI SPOSABLE URINE CONTAINER Filed June 1, 1966 2 Sheets Sheet 2 INVENTOR. J'lbward 0.13192 zeZ and Sfaflig JSiJ'ZQZ'C' ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent M 3,403,410 DISPOSABLE URINE CONTAINER Howard A. Benzel, Lancaster, and Stanley J. Strzelec,

Corfu, N.Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Automatic Sprinkler Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 1, 1966, Ser. No. 554,460 10 Claims. (Cl. 4-110) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible bag having a body portion and a normally fiat neck portion extending therefrom, the neck portion being formable into a funnel open at its outer end and providing at its inner end an inlet to the body portion. Self-closing valve means permit liquid flow through the inlet into the body portion, closing against the outflow of liquid from the body portion. Deformable, shape sustaining means adjacent the outer end of the neck portion are provided for maintaining the funnel shape thereof, and compressed generally flat liquid absorbing sponge means are provided in the body portion.

This invention relates to a new and useful urinal, the primary object of this invention being to provide an inexpensive, disposable urine container which is compact, readily stored and carried about when not in use, and easy and convenient to use.

A further object of this invention is to provide an individual urine container which can be closed, after use, for subsequent disposal.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a disposable urine container having an inlet valve opening automatically when the container is in use and selfclosing against the ejection of urine from the container should it be dropped accidentally.

In one aspect thereof, the disposable urine container of this invention is characterized by the provision of a flexible bag having a body portion and a normally flat neck portion, the neck portion being for-mable into a funnel open at its outer end and providing an inlet to the body portion, together with a self-closing valve permitting flow of liquid from the neck portion into the body portion but closing against the outflow of liquid from the body portion.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of the disposable urine container of our invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings depicting the same wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation, showing a disposable urine container of our invention unfolded and wit-h the neck portion formed into a funnel shape, ready for use;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic, perspective view showing the container after use, with the neck portion secured in rolled condition, closing the container;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken about on line -44 of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken about on line 55 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view through the inlet valve portion thereof.

The container depicted for purposes of illustration comprises a bag of flexible, waterproof material, such as polyethylene, formed to provide a body portion 1 and a neck portion 2. The bag is conveniently fabricated by heat 3,403,410 Patented Oct. 1, 1968 sealing together two sheets of bag material cut to the shape of the body and neck portions, completely along the opposite sides, bottom and top of the body portion 1 and the opposite sides of the neck portion 2, as best shown at 3.

Body portion 1 contains compressed, liquid absorbing sponge material 4 which expands and enlarges as it absorbs liquid, but which is compressed and flat, prior to use, as shown in FIG. 4. Such materials are known, per se, and therefore any further description is believed unnecessary.

An inner sleeve is providd in neck portion 2, comprising a pair of sheets 5 and 6 which can be of the same material as the body and neck portions 1 and 2. Sheets 5 and 6 are welded to the material of neck portion 2, as by heat sealing, along the outer edges thereof as shown at 7, and also in inwardly spaced relation thereto, as shown at 8, thereby defining an encircling sleeve 9 through which a band 10 is threaded.

Band 10 comprises one or more wires 11 embedded in a flexible material, such as polyethylene, the band being formed to provide a loop 12 projecting laterally of neck portion 2, being defined in part by a clamp 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The inner sleeve material 5 and 6 is secured to the opposite sides of neck portion 2 by the sealing seam 3, and they also are secured to each other at the inner end thereof, as shown at 14. However, at the opposite corners of the inner ends thereof the material comprising sheets 5 and 6 is cut, defining slits 15 for the passage of liquid from neck portion 2 into the body portion 1 as indicated by the arrows A in FIG. 6.

Prior to use, both the neck portion 2 and the body portion 1 are flat, the opposite sides of the bag lying against each other and against the compressed sponge material 4. The body portion 1 can be folded over upon itself, as permitted by sponge material 4, and neck portion 2 can be folded over on body portion 1. As a result, the container prior to use is very compact, whereby a large number of them can be stored in limited space. Also, individual containers readily fit the pocket, and can be carried about by the intended user, without noticeable bulging, and without effort or other inconvenience.

For use, the opposite sides of neck portion 2 are spread apart, to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Band 10 is deformable, but is shape sustaining, whereby it maintains the funnel shape of FIGS. 2 and 4 during use, and provides a convenient means for handling and holding the container.

In use, the slits 15 open to fluid flow into the body portion, as shown by arrows A in FIG. 6. However, should the container accidentally be dropped, the slits 15 tend to close, by virtue of the construction depicted, against the outflow of liquid from the body portion. The forcible expulsion of urine from the container, such as would otherwise be expected upon dropping the filled or partially filled container with the neck portion open, is thereby prevented.

After use, neck portion 2 is flattened, to its original shape, the deformable band 10 being deformed out of the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 into a flattened condition. Neck portion 2 then is rolled upon itself, from the outer end toward body portion 1, to close the container. The projecting tab 12 of band 10 then is bent over against the material of the container, to secure neck portion 2 in its rolled condition, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. The filled, closed container then can be set aside, for subsequent disposal when convenient.

Thus, it is seen that our invention fully accomplishes its intended objects. While we have disclosed and described in detail only one embodiment, that has been done by way of illustration, without thought of limitation.

Having fully disclosed and completely described our invention, and its mode of operation, what we claim as new 1s:

1. A disposable urine container comprising a flexible bag having a body portion and a normally flat neck portion extending therefrom, said neck portion being for-mable into a funnel open at its outer end and providing at its inner end an inlet to said body portion, and self-closing valve means at said inner end permitting liquid flow through said inlet into said body portion, said valve means closing against the outflow of liquid from said body portion, together with deformable shape sustaining means adjacent said outer end of said neck portion for maintaining the funnel shape thereof free of continued externally applied pressure.

2. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said entire bag is normally flat, said body portion being foldable onto itself and said neck portion being foldable onto said body portion for ease in storing the empty container.

3. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said neck portion can be flattened and rolled upon itself after use, and wherein said last-named means includes means for fastening said neck portion in rolled condition.

4. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said valve means comprise normally flat layers of sheet material lying in side-by-side relation and defining a self-closing slit expandable upon forming said neck portion to a funnel shape.

5. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 1, together with compressed, generally flat liquid absorbing sponge means in said body portion.

6. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said deformable shape-sustaining means comprise a band encircling said neck portion, said band being formed to provide a tab projecting laterally of said neck portion.

7. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 6, said container comprising sheet material formed to provide an encircling sleeve adjacent said outer end of said neck portion through which said band extends.

8. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said neck and body portions comprise layers of sheet material in side-by-side relation, said valve means comprising layers of sheet material in side-by-side relation within said bag and defining at least one self-closing slit.

9. A disposable urine container as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said deformable shape-sustaining means comprise a band encircling said neck portion and wherein said neck portion can be flattened and rolled upon itself after use, said band having a projecting tab for fastening said neck portion in rolled condition, said neck and body portions comprising layers of sheet material in side-by-side relation, said valve means comprising layers of sheet material in side-by-side relation within said bag and defining a selfclosing slit, the sheet material of said container being formed to provide an encircling sleeve adjacent said outer end of said neck portion through which said band extends, said container normally being flat, said body portion being foldable onto itself and said neck portion being foldable onto said body portion for convenience in storing said container when empty, together with compressed generally flat liquid absorbing sponge means in said body portion.

10. A disposable urine container comprising a flexible bag having a body portion and a normally flat neck portion extending therefrom, said neck portion being formable into a funnel open at its outer end and providing at its inner end an inlet to said body portion, self-closing valve means at said inner end permitting liquid flow through said inlet into said body portion, said valve means closing against the outflow of liquid from said body portion, compressed generally flat liquid absorbing spone means in said body portion, and a deformable shape sustaining band encircling said outer end of said neck portion, said neck portion being rollable upon itself after use to close said container, and said band providing a tab projecting laterally of said neck portion and bendable over against said neck portion to secure the latter in rolled condition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,382,276 8/1945 Wells 4-1l0 2,875,451 3/ 1959 Stegeman 4-110 3,171,820 3/1965 Volz. 3,189,252 6/1965 Miller -9 3,259,920 7/ 1966 Voller 41 10 3,312,221 4/ 1967 Overment 128295 2,593,051 4/ 1952 Pearcy 128295 FOREIGN PATENTS 705,745 3/ 1965. Canada.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington, D.C. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,403,410 October 1, 1968 Howard A. Benzel et :11.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 4 and 5,

""Automatic" Sprinkler Corporation" should read "Automatic" Sprinkler Corporation of America Column 4, line 25, "spone" should read sponge Signed and sealed this 24th day of February 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

